Administered by Realscreen, Propelle is a female-focused accelerator program launched in partnership with Abby Greensfelder’s Everywoman Studios (EWS). The goal of the program is to further develop the careers of up-and-coming female creators by pairing them with female-owned production companies and female CEOs for project workshopping and mentoring. With this program, female creators gain access to an established production company and a network of industry contacts, while learning how to develop ideas so that they are pitch-ready and sellable. Ultimately, the goal is to bring more female creators into the non-fiction ecosystem and have more diverse voices making content.

A winning opportunity

Women creators will submit an application through Realscreen’s online entry form with a specific content idea. Ideas may be for an unscripted/non-fiction series or format, a non-fiction documentary/one-off program or feature documentary, or an unscripted/documentary limited series. Four (4) finalists will be jointly selected by the Participating Mentors and EWS. Each finalist will be PAIRED WITH a Mentor, based on the project submitted and its readiness for further development and workshopping. 

Everywoman Studios will announce the winning project to receive up to US $20,000 to further develop their project into production. Further development of any of the submitted projects with EWS will be subject to entering into and executing the written development agreement with EWS.

The Participating Mentors and EWS will also select additional entrants to receive honorable mentions, and each will receive one (1) complimentary registration to Realscreen Summit, to further their opportunities to meet and connect with potential partners and buyers. The runners-up will also be invited to a meet and greet opportunity with the Participating Mentors, EWS and other industry executives during Realscreen West.

The network pitches:

Realscreen will provide a virtual meeting room at Realscreen Summit, where participating network development executives will each host a table and hear pitches from the four Accelerator program finalists.

Finalists will acknowledge that they may need to complete a submission release form from a network before pitching to them, and that the submission release submitted with their application to the Accelerator program was to cover the disclosure of their content idea with Realscreen and their participating mentor only.

How it works:

In addition to filling out the online entry form, entrants must provide the following:

• A pitch presentation deck outlining your content idea
• A video - three minutes, maximum - that demonstrates your project (a sizzle reel or personal pitch of the project where a sizzle is not yet available)
• A signed submission release agreement
• A signed  from Everywoman Studios, to come into effect if you are selected for further development
• A one-page statement explaining how the Accelerator would benefit you and why you would like to work with EWS and the Participating Mentors
• A resume indicating your work experience, including that within non-fiction production (if any) as well as any production credits you have.

Please note that if your project is accepted to the Accelerator you agree to work exclusively with EWS on the idea and should not pitch the idea to outside buyers until completion of the program.